Oh Hipsters

I’m sitting here in the hipster coffee shack blogging and it’s (the café) full. I have a seat open at my table, yet there’s a half dozen bearded wonders pacing back and forth with their muffins in paw, looking for a seat.

How many of you are walking through life with that muffin and coffee, looking for a seat, but afraid of imposing, irritating,  or intruding? Or is that you don’t need friends? Who needs to meet more people when you have Facebook, Twitter, online poker, online video games, texting, streaming tv, movies, and so forth.

I’ve met several of my best friends in this coffee shop (women too), because I needed a place to sit, and instead of gazing into my cell phone, made ten minutes of small talk. “Hi, mind if I sit here? What are you reading? What are you writing?”

If you want something like a place to sit, a raise at work, or a woman–you need to ask for it. You must take what you want. Nobody is going to offer you anything of value out of sympathy for your silent need. “Oh, you look lonely! Here’s my hot sisters phone number, she’ll be expecting your call.”

The next person that asks for my seat will increase their social circle by one person. I know about three hundred people in this city. Chances are if they need a connection somewhere, I have one.

But they won’t sit here. That’s great! I have plenty of space for my laptop.

But think about it, if I wanted to be alone, would I write in a coffee shop? Would she?

Every person you meet is a gatekeeper. Talk to everyone.